My journey with therapy began almost 10 years ago, when I went through a challenging break up and found myself in an extremely dark place. I did not recognize myself anymore and I received a few signs that told me it was time to seek some professional support.
Therapy gave me the strength to unpack a lot of things I was dealing with and heal responsibly. It is one thing to go to therapy, but you have to be willing to do the work. Through putting in the work from that first day until now, I've really grown as a person and therapy has supported me in putting the best version of myself forward every time. Through therapy I was able to open myself up to so many possibilities, including love, which also led me to my fiancé (8 years strong).
Be open and do the work. It doesn't work unless you do.
I will never forget the moment - a year from the first day I started therapy - when I realized I was ready to be open to the notion of love again. It was the most exhilarating feeling. I knew that I had so much more healing to do, but I also knew that I was allowed to do that and still let love in with someone who was deserving of my love. It was a revelation I will never forget, and feeling that energy really opened up a world of possibilities. A few months later I met my now fiancé and although our journey has been a rollercoaster it has been one filled with love, security, compassion, strength and so much possibility. I will never forget that moment!
Therapy provides me with the space to let it all out to someone objective. It gives me the freedom to navigate my thoughts; to understand and sometimes resolve them in layers. I truly appreciate therapy because it holds a mirror up to my life - scars and all - which is a beautiful thing that helps me continue to heal, grow and be.
Therapy is an interesting concept that is often misunderstood. I will always be in support of therapy because, through it, I learned that we cannot go through things alone. Everybody needs some form of therapy, and this can look very different for different people. I think back to my adolescent years when I wish I had sought this type of support - life would have definitely been different, but I am grateful and blessed that I've been open to this experience as an adult.
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Ayanna Dutton is a brand architect who helps brands build and own their voice in their respective spaces. Well-versed in all things media, she has maneuvered through the tech, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment industries working with noteworthy brands such as Facebook, MKTG, Coach, Coty Inc, Wacoal America, RWS Entertainment Group, and Cadillac, to name a few. This has given her the opportunity to navigate between the corporate and non-corporate worlds, becoming an expert in brand marketing, where she co-created her latest venture in the entrepreneurial space - Non-Corporate Girls, LLC, a rising podcast platform.
